Marvel Confirms Benedict Cumberbatch as 'Doctor Strange' Because He Was Basically Already a Superhero

There have been rumors circulating the Internet for months, but now it's finally official: Benedict Cumberbatch will star in Marvel's Doctor Strange as the titular character, which is currently scheduled to hit theaters on November 4, 2016. (Might as well start marking your calendars now, folks.) As we all know, Cumberbatch has already developed a massive following thanks to his now-iconic role as Sherlock Holmes in BBC One's popular TV series, Sherlock, based on the famous books of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So it doesn't take a deductive genius to realize that turning Cumberbatch into a full-fledged superhero is guaranteed to raise his popularity to monumental heights. (Cumberbatch mania is here, my friends. Welcome to the dark side.)

Directed by Scott Derrickson, the film will follow the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, in light of a horrific car accident, ends up discovering the hidden world of alternate dimensions and basically ends up becoming Earth's primary protector against all things magical. “Stephen Strange’s story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity,” Producer Kevin Feige tells Marvel.com. “In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character.” Anyone else already thinking of what his superhero uniform is going to look like? (Swoon.)